Three bodies found in Limburg drugs' lab

Three people have been found dead in a drug lab in Limburg. The police found the three people in a hangar in the village of Eksel. It was serving as drug laboratory.

Tue 29 Jan 09:16

Public prosecutors are investigating the matter to establish what exactly happened. It was around 4AM that the local fire service was called to the scene after a smell of gas was detected. The hangar was probably being used to produce synthetic drugs. Police have cordoned off the area.

It's thought the three male victims were poisoned by toxic fumes that were released during the production process. Police in Limburg are embroiled in a battle with criminal gangs active in drug production and trafficking. Several networks have been dismantled and investigators believe they are on the track of others too. Criminal activity extends across the border to the Netherlands and it was by an anonymous telephone call from the Netherlands that police were alterted to the situation at the hangar.

Annually some 95 tons of waste from drug production are dumped across Flanders - three-quarters in Limburg revealing the province's importance in drug production and trafficking.